About the Author

Lori Palatnik is a writer and Jewish educator who has appeared on television and radio. She is the Founding Director of The Jewish Women's Renaissance Project, an international initiative that brings thousands of women to Israel each year from 18 different countries on highly subsidized programs to inspire them with the beauty and wisdom of their heritage (www.jwrp.org). She is a much sought-after international speaker, having lectured in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, U.K., Central America, South America, South Africa and Israel, including featured talks at Yale, Brown and Penn. She lives in the Washington, D.C. area with her husband, Rabbi Yaakov Palatnik, and is the busy mother of five children, ages 25 to 15.

The opinions expressed in the comment section are the personal views of the commenters. Comments are moderated, so please keep it civil.

Visitor Comments: 15

(14)
Elisheva Kalifa,
July 1, 2014 2:22 AM

How to find apartments?

I have had a very hard time searching online for small, minimally priced apartments. I don't even know what it could cost. Where to go? Do I need an agent or are there websites I am unaware of?

(13)
sylvia,
June 23, 2014 7:10 PM

a key

I just want to know if you get a key for Israel I agree with you we all need a key do you have one ????

(12)
Marc Friedman,
June 23, 2014 12:54 PM

I am happy to help

Lori:

You are correct that this should be our focus-it is clear that from the first Rashi in the Bible to the Jewish people entering the land at the beginning of the Book of Joshua that HaShem wants us all here. I do not have the patience ti sit in the Beit Medrash all day, so I learn in the morning and then I chose to be a real estate agent in Jerusalem because I love helping Jews by homes here. I am happy to help you and anyone you know!

(11)
David,
June 22, 2014 11:49 AM

Please don't

As other people have commented, please do not buy a place in Israel only to leave it unused. The price of real estate has skyrocketed, and some of that is due to people overseas who buy homes that will be used only several weeks each year. The government is increasing the taxes on such places to discourage empty homes. By all means – buy a place if you plan to rent it to someone actually living here. Better yet – buy a place and live in it yourself. But don’t decrease the inventory of available housing for people who are living here if you don’t plan to be here yourself.

(10)
Chana,
June 22, 2014 6:45 AM

If anyone reading this wants to buy me a key, please contact me

Hi Lori, thanks for your beautiful video. I have been living in Israel for 11 years. Have saved up about $1000 to buy my key. If you know any wealthy donors who want to help me buy my key, please send them my way. chana@tefilot.org Thank you.

(9)
Donna Perel,
June 20, 2014 12:07 PM

Amen and Thank You

We should all be there. Thank you for the chizak. I have told my family that bli neder the next time we move will be the last and we will have THE key.

(8)
Anonymous,
June 19, 2014 10:01 PM

dont buy a key in israel vote in israel

israel doesn't need foreigners to buy up its property and not live in it-israel needs jews to vote to keep it a democratic jewish democracy-make aliya and vote every 4 years even if you go back home to work

(7)
SarahRachel,
June 19, 2014 8:22 PM

Moshiach Will Have To Come Before I Can Afford

So....everybody pray for Moshiach!

(6)
Anonymous,
June 19, 2014 8:12 PM

Very Inspiring

Some of the comments are true and interesting. Your video was inspirational. "Every Jew Needs a Key". Yes, if not in fact, then at the very least, in spirit. Baruch Hashem, I pray for peace and the return of our 3 precious jewels that were torn away from us.

(5)
Shushannah,
June 19, 2014 5:08 PM

In my heart

I cannot afford to own land here, and when I lived in Israel I could not afford even a tiny apartment. But I do have a key, I can't touch it or see it, yet it is very real. It is the key in my heart that connects me to the land. It is a name on a wall that has helped to build a land. There are many ways to have a key in Israel. One day I pray to have that physical key, but without it my connection is no less.

(4)
Anonymous,
June 19, 2014 3:13 PM

beautiful!

great talk! we should all be zoche to come in good health!

(3)
Anonymous,
June 19, 2014 3:13 PM

i look at all the blank windows in those homes where people have bought and do not live.

and because of these people who buy homes and leave them empty, young israeli families cannot afford to buy homes and actually live in them.enjoy kissing your key while thinking about this.

(2)
Dvirah,
June 18, 2014 5:12 PM

Please Help Us!

Many Israelis cannot afford an apartment and are living in the streets. If you in the US bought an apartment and don't plan to live in it soon, could you PLEASE arrange to rent it for a small sum to an Israeli (single or small family) until you actually plan to use it? PLEASE??!!

(1)
Anonymous,
June 18, 2014 4:49 AM

Does she kiss a chumash w/ the same fervor as the key?

Does she kiss a chumash w/ the same fervor as the key?

JM,
June 19, 2014 4:56 PM

Anonymous, that comment sounds critical, even sarcastic.

Please explain. It's discourteous to disparage the sincere feelings of well- intentioned people, even when we don't share those feelings. More important, it is a sin. Unless I mistook your meaning. At this moment every Jew I know, in every part of the world, is spending at least a part of every day saying Tehillim and trying to be especially good and well-behaved according to Hashem's teachings, and that includes not judging others critically, and certainly not being( publicly) dismissive of our fellows. As are many non Jews, by the way. The overwhelming feeling is one of unity; let us be dismissive only of the small differences and even the large that divide us at other times. Let's get these teens and the security forces safely home, and parse the kisses afterward, if you must.